I almost changed the title of this series of canine bios leading up to the release of my new book Stay. The title sounded like the followup reality series to the Housewives of Orange County. But rest assured the Dogs of Stay are far less catty. Sorry. Couldn’t resist.

I am really excited about Stay and I thought it would be fun to get to know some of the “stars” of my new book. First up is our unforgettable Golden Retriever Charlie.

      Puppy Charlie making sure the dishes are all clean.

Most of us remember our dogs because they leave paw prints on our heart. Charlie certainly did that. But just to make sure he was not forgotten he left chew marks on our table, scratch marks on our doors and teeth marks on our doorknobs. I quoted John Grogan (of Marley fame) in Stay about the charm of dogs like Charlie. “Dogs are great. Bad dogs, if we can really call them that, are perhaps the greatest of them all.”

By that standard Charlie was one of the greatest dogs that ever lived. At least our three boys thought he was. My long suffering wife was not so sure.  I describe his humorous (and sometimes not so humorous) destruction of our house in Stay along with a poignant moment shared with a NYC Policeman.

    Our boys loved Charlie and he loved them back with the same exuberance that he did everything else.

    Charlie was eccentric.

     Funny.

                                                    Charlie was eighty pounds of hard charging intensity.

 

He was loving. Infuriating. And he was intensely loyal to his three boys.

Charlie gave me a bonus lesson that is not in the upcoming book. Sometimes I wonder how God can love someone as messed up, inconsistent and sorry as me. And I remember how an impatient and selfish man like me could love that disaster of a canine that was Charlie. If I can muster that in my soul then why can’t I believe that a God who sent His Son to the Cross for me would still love me with all of my flaws? God loved me first and completely. I will have some fleeting moments when I please God but for the most part I will be leaving a trail of well intentioned disaster in my path just like Charlie. And God loves me just as much at those moments. Amazing.

Featured next will be Hannah’s best friend Sadie.